The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of strawberry plant botanically classified as Fragaria x ananassa (Duch.) and known by the varietal name ‘Lady Isabella’. The new variety was originally referred to as RD072-004-2012. The new variety is the result of a cross between strawberry seedling referred to as SA40 (female parent, unpatented) and strawberry seedling referred to as SA23 (male parent, unpatented). The resultant cross produced ‘Lady Isabella’ in July of 2013 in Herefordshire, United Kingdom. The purpose of the breeding program was to develop novel everbearing and day neutral strawberry varieties. Subsequently, the new variety was asexually reproduced via stolons in Herefordshire, United Kingdom in August of 2013. The new variety has been trial and field tested and has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics and remain true to type through successive asexual propagations. The new variety has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.
The new variety is similar to its female parent in its remontant behavior (daughter plants flower), attractive conic to cordate-shaped fruit, and open plant growth habit. However, the calyx of ‘Lady Isabella’ tends to invert when a berry is fully ripe, while the calyx of its female parent remains closed around the berry. Further, ‘Lady Isabella’ exhibits larger flowers and fruit than its female parent. The new variety is similar to its male parent in having berries with a consistently high Brix level and a glossy finish to the berry skin. However, ‘Lady Isabella’ differs from its male parent in providing fewer berries per truss (3-5 for ‘Lady Isabella’ versus 6-8 for its male parent) and exhibiting a more rounded berry shoulder than its male parent.
When compared to strawberry variety named ‘Lady Emma’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 16/501,678, filed May 21, 2019), ‘Lady Emma’ exhibits a stronger remontant flowering behavior, a more compact growth habit, a shorter canopy, and greater fruit yields. Further, the fruit of ‘Lady Isabella’ transitions from a mottled pink to a deep red color, while the fruit of ‘Lady Emma’ is paler and more orange-colored than that of ‘Lady Isabella’.
The following characteristics also distinguish the new variety from other strawberry varieties known to the breeder:                Consistently high Brix content;        Early ripening and everbearing fruit;        Mottled pink fruit coloration before reaching full ripeness;        Calyx inversion of fully ripened fruit;        Strongly concaved/cupped mature leaves; and        Plump shouldered fruit that provides for a slightly reniform/cordate appearance.        